Search - Various Artists :: Cuban Jazz: Afro Cuban Music In Jam Session

HISTORY REPEATING.......

canuco | New York | 12/01/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"From the opening notes one gets the feeling that one is in a, "Michael Corleone in Havana" scene from the film the Godfather. What one get in this CD is an Americanized version of Cuban Music. Noted, the selections are mostly required listening for anyone interested in Afro-Cuban music, but the arrangements are in the Lester Lanin, Xavier Cugat styles and were originally geared for the American clientele here as well as in the pre-60's Havana and also on the cruise ships plying the Caribbean waters at that time. However, there are 2 tracks that are from another session altogether that are pure Afro-Cuban and are masterpieces. The arrangements as well as the musicians are Cuban. Track 4, Jam Session and Track 12, Descarga General, are from an old Panart recording that includes; Marcelino Valdez & Tata Guine/conga; Cachao/bass; Peruchin/piano; El Negro Vivar/trumpet; Oscar Valdes/bongo; and others. Those two tracks are an excellent example of the improvisational capacity of Cuban musicians studied or not. It just comes natural to them. They sometimes understand jazz better than American musicians. Get the CD! A must have! Just skip over the other stuff. Unless of course you enjoy dressing up as Mr. Corleone (ca.1955)and pretending you are in pre-50's Havana, With your wife quick-step tip-toeing behind you in those tight pink chino pants and tiny sequined slipper pumps holding a poodle in her arms, yelling in a high pitched voice, "awww Moiakel, don't wolk so fass. MOIAKEL! Do you heea meee, I'M TAALKIN TO YOU"..."